Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“The brutal murder of Lyra McKee last night should be condemned without hesitation by all.
“In our dealings with Miss McKee TUV always found her professional, courteous and fair. We are deeply saddened to learn of her untimely passing in such a violent fashion.
“Of course what happened last night is nothing new. The use of violence by Republicans in Northern Ireland is something we have been plagued by for generations. There was no difference between last night’s murder and the murder of five men going to repair a BBC transmitter on Brougher Mountain in 1971.
“The equivocation of the Sinn Fein/IRA MP for Foyle on Good Morning Ulster when asked if the Republican parade planned for Londonderry should be called off was revealing. Even in the aftermath of the murder of an innocent young journalist Miss McCallion was talking about her “ patriot dead” and the importance of them being remembered. Such scandalous insensitivity is par for the course when it comes to Sinn Fein/IRA and innocent victims.”